


Come Back to Me

by Ace_Avenger



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Divergence - Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, I wanted this SO BAD at the end of endgame, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Endgame, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Self-Indulgent, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, Time Travel Fix-It, i really wrote this for me, the russos did me dirty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28567542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ace_Avenger/pseuds/Ace_Avenger
Summary: At the end of Avengers: Endgame, I was severely upset by the image of old man steve's joe biden looking self. I was fully expecting another form of steve when I first saw him from behind. This is what I expected. This is what I wanted.
Relationships: Steve Rogers & Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Come Back to Me

The war with Thanos was finally over. The world could breathe again.  _ You  _ could breathe again. People were rebuilding the lives they had missed for the last five years. Families were together again, emotions were still high but it was easier to manage with those you had been missing for years around you again.

Luckily, you had never lost the one that kept you sane through this time. Steve had never left, never dusted when Thanos first snapped his fingers and made half the universe disappear.

Being part of the Avengers team had taught you a lot over the many years you were there. You found a family in everyone on the team, even ones you didn’t agree with most of the time. Even Tony, whose death was hurting you the most now. You regretted not being with him when he needed the whole team on Titan, but you and Steve and the few others that had not signed the Accords had other things to worry about then.

Even though the Avengers compound was currently in rubble all around you, there was still one more job to do. It wasn’t yours, however.

“You know I’m going to be okay, right?” a voice pulled you out of your thoughts. You turned away from the view you had been staring out at and found yourself face-to-face with the man you loved. Steve was in his scaled suit, a newer one that he never really wore before. You liked it, but it was certainly no stealth suit.

“I know,” you sighed and shook your head. “I still worry. You know I can’t stop that.”

“Especially when it comes to me,” Steve said in agreement and stepped closer to you, gently grazing his fingers over the scar right above your eyebrow from the fight. It would be there for a long time, a reminder of everything you did to help save the universe.

“It’s just a simple mission. I’m going back to put the stones where we got them from and then I’ll be right back here with you. We can watch the fireworks again tonight from the apartment.”

Steve always knew the right things to say and do to comfort you. He was the only one that had that power. You felt safe knowing he would always be there for you and make sure you never felt alone or stressed out. He had been a huge help over the years being an avenger.

“Can we get out that stuff Thor gave you a long time ago? That good stuff?”

A smile formed on Steve’s face as he gave you a nod. “Of course. But you only need a tiny bit. I don’t want you blackout drunk two minutes in.”

“Steve, it’s almost time,” Bruce called.

With a heavy sigh, Steve pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead and took your hand. “Don’t wanna keep him waiting. Let’s get over there so I can get this over with and we can head home.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Walking over to where Bruce, Sam, and Bucky were, you looked up at the device set up to take Steve through time again. It still made your heart thump wildly in your chest just thinking about it, but at least you weren’t going through this time. Just Steve.

Steve gave your hand a small squeeze before going over to Sam to talk to him for a minute. You were so happy to have Sam back. He was a good friend to Steve and kept a smile on your face with his jokes and stories. You didn’t know what either of you would have done without him on the team or in your lives.

“You look nervous,” Bucky pipped up from beside you. You didn’t realize he had been standing there as you watched Sam and Steve talk quietly.

“I always am,” you shrugged. “He makes me nervous.”

“You should have grown up with him and watched him fight people three times his size. Then you can talk about being nervous.” Bucky laughed. You would have given anything to see Steve back in the day. He had shown you a picture once of him before the serum. He was small, but he still looked determined, like he could take on anyone and anything. That’s what you loved about Steve. He was always ready to take on the bad things in life.

“He still does that now. You saw how huge Thanos was, right?”

“He was big. You’re right. Same old Steve.”

You flashed a smile at Bucky as the old man himself walked over.

“You two talking about me?” he asked.

“Of course. Have to make fun of you as always,” Bucky joked. You shook your head and walked over towards Sam to let Steve and his best friend have a moment to talk. You both stood in silence. Sam looked just as worried as you were, anxiety washing over his face.

“He’ll be okay, Sam. He always is,” you spoke, wanting to reassure your friend.

“I know. I still just don’t like him going on his own. I told him I would come with him if he let me, but he said no.”

“He probably just wants to get in and get out quick. The whole time travel thing wasn’t easy on any of us that did it. I don’t blame him for wanting a solo trip for this one.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Sam said with a nod as Steve walked over and stepped up onto the device, picking up the stones and Thor’s hammer.

His eyes met your own as Bruce started getting everything ready, the device starting up.

Sam put a hand on your shoulder as you crossed your arms over your chest, watching as Steve readied himself to jump back through time.

Your eyes studied everything about Steve in those moments before the jump. The color of his eyes, his bright golden hair, the moles dotting his face like tiny constellations, the way he stared back at you, telling you that he was going to be just fine.

Just before his helmet went over his face, you noticed him mouth to you.

_ I love you. _

__ With a soft smile, you mouthed a reply.

_ Come back to me. _

__ He didn’t have any time to react before Bruce sent him through, making him disappear right in front of you.

Five seconds. That’s all it was. Just five little seconds and he would be back.

_ Four _

__ You would watch fireworks together tonight and everything would be good.

_ Three _

__ Just put everything back in place and come back.

_ Two _

__ Please come back.

_ One _

__ Bruce hit the button for Steve’s safe return, the device humming and lighting up a little, but there was no man in front of you again.

Sam’s gentle hand on your shoulder suddenly gripped a bit harder now as his own anxiety spiked.

“Where is he?”

“He flew right past his mark,” Bruce stumbled, fumbling with the buttons to bring Steve back.

“Bruce,” your voice was higher than normal from fear of losing your best friend. How could he have missed his mark? He said he would be okay. This wasn’t okay. He was gone, somewhere out in time or space. And you couldn’t do a thing about it.

Sam moved past you to argue with Bruce, demanding he find Steve and bring him back. You felt your legs shake as you tried to hold yourself together. Bruce would find him. He would come back to you. He had to.

A tap on your shoulder almost sent you to the ground. You turned to see Bucky tipping his head towards the lake where a bench was. Where someone was sitting.

“Go.”

You glanced at Bucky before slowly moving toward the figure on the bench. They had their back to you, you could only see the tan jacket they were wearing and bright blonde hair. The figure was small and skinny, probably no taller than you.

Curiosity kept you moving forward. Who was this? Trying to piece together the puzzle in your mind, your eyes widened slowly as you realized who this could be.

You came around the bench and found yourself looking at Steve, except he was smaller and looked much more fragile. His muscles were practically gone, leaving behind skinny arms and a pale face. He looked just like himself from the picture he had shown you. A Steve before the serum. His eyes met your own and he smiled.

“Hey.”

“Steve…” He looked so small.

“When I went back, I knew I wasn’t going to come back to now and continue being Captain America. I just want a normal life. A normal life with you,” Steve started, his bright eyes locked on yours. “And I figured that this would be the easiest way to make sure I could have that and not have a reason to keep fighting more and more. I’ve played my part in every war I’ve been in. I’m tired. I want to just have you and nothing else in this life.”

It took you by surprise, hearing that Steve didn’t want to be part of the superhero life anymore. You always just assumed that he would be Cap forever, that he would always be saving the world.

“After Tony...I realized that this job could have me end up the same way one day. I didn’t want to do that to you or anyone else here,” he continued. “I should have said something before I left, but I didn’t want to worry you more. I just wanted to be myself and not worry about being a hero for the rest of my life.”

It broke your heart hearing how worried Steve was about upsetting you. You would never get upset with him about leaving the heroic life.

“Steve, I’m proud of everything you have ever done,” you said after a moment. “You should never have to fight if you don’t want to. You can rest. You’ve earned it.” You slowly sat down on the bench, close to Steve. He looked down at himself and shook his head.

“I know this isn’t the person you fell in love with or anything-” he started, but you quickly interrupted him.

“Not the person I fell in love with?” you asked. “Did I fall in love with Steve Rogers or a serum?”

He shut his mouth quickly and raised his eyes back up to look at you. A small smile formed on his face.

“You’re still Steve. Just a little smaller. I love you in any way you are, just as long as you still have the same heart that loves me.”

“Of course I do,” Steve spoke and pressed a hand to your cheek. “It just might have a few medical issues.”

“We can work on that. Doctors know a lot more now than in the 40s,” you spoke with a laugh before Steve leaned forward and kissed you. He was still Steve. The same man you fell in love with. The same man that came back to you.


End file.
